Bear Care

If you are going to take the time to have a collection, you should take the time to care for your collection.

This page is dedicated to Bearista Bear care. I must give one disclaimer - I am not an expert in textile preservation. You should use your best judgment and common sense when caring for your Bearista Bears. If you think you need expert help, find a professional and ask them to help you.

The picture to the right is my collection. As you can see my Bearista Bears and accessories are in cabinets with DOORS. Doors are very important for limiting the amount of dust on the collection.

The cabinets are also lit for easy viewing. Some of the Bearista Bears are in doll stands. I use the 12" to 20" size with rubber adjustable grippers. I put the hooks at the neck level. I use the 3" size for the magnets and finger puppets.

as of 12/31/02

Cabinets are Billys from Ikea with optional glass shelves, doors and lights.

STORING THEM:
If you are not displaying your Bearista Bears or you have "extras" in inventory, DO NOT store them in zip-lock-type bags. The bags collect moisture and your Bearista Bears can mold - Yuck! If you have them in bags, at least open them to breathe until you can change your storage method.

Instead, you can store them in pillow cases (white, vintage are best). The cases allow them to breathe and keep the dust out. You should put some cedar or moth balls in the area so bugs stay away from your Bearista Bears. Be careful not to put the moth balls or cedar directly on your Bearistas - near is good enough.

Some people say plastic tubs are ok, but I would recommend putting some "breathing holes" in the lids and sides and still using the pillow cases inside the tubs.

Whatever you do, DO NOT keep the Bearista Bears in or near the paper Starbucks bags. The bags attract bugs. If you keep the bags, as I do, keep them in their own container and put them in the freezer ever 3 months for 15 minutes.

GENERAL GUIDELINES:
While it my seem obvious, sometimes we forget the basics, so here they are:

	Keep your Bearista Bears away from direct sunlight
	Keep your Bearista Bears out of the direct flow of heaters and air conditioners
	Do not put them in the washing machine

KEEPING THEM CLEAN:
If the Bearista Bears just sit there with no upkeep, they will get dirty and that is not good. Here are some tips for regular maintenance:

	Regularly (at least once per month) clean the area where the Bearista Bears are stored. Do not clean the cabinets with the Bearista Bears in them as cleaners can harm the Bearista Bears.
	Vacuum the Bearista Bears a couple of times a year. Use the round attachment with the soft bristles. if you don't have such an attachment - vacuum them through a screen as not to muck up the fur or costumes.
	Use a Swiffer (one of those dust grabbing clothes that look like a dryer sheet) to wipe off the "hard" parts of the costumes and the eyes. This will remove the settled dust.
	I know this sounds strange, but once a year, but each Bearista Bear in your freezer for 15 minutes. This action will kill any little mites or bugs that have made a home in your Bearista Bear.
	To help reduce the effect of moisture in the home from harming the Bearista Bears, you need to keep some silica crystals or something that controls moisture. I use this little glass jars filled with blue crystals that absorb moisture.
	To help keep odors off the Bearista Bears, keep baking soda in your display case. I use those glass shakers, usually seen in pizza restaurants for those peppers or shakey cheese. They let the odors in, but keep the soda contained.

CLEANING THEM:
While you shouldn't need to do any major cleaning if you take good care of your Bearista Bears, occasionally something may happen or you may acquire a Bearista Bear that needs some help. Here are the things I have found that actually work.

	The best Bearista Bear general cleaner I have found to date is called "Your Lovable Teddy Bear Cleaner" made by Siege ( www.siegechemicals.com ). I found it through mail order but you may be able to find it in a store. You spray a little on and wipe off with a clean white cloth. It did wonders for a yellow-ish Snowman Bearista Bear I found. Check out www.hometrendscatalog.com. (Item #309128) I found an ebay Power Seller (LarryBar) who has a website that sells this product. Here is the link to his online store Collectors Secret . We have no affiliation with this seller - we are just trying to help you get the product. If you know of other sources, please let us know and I will list them.
	For tough stains, I found OxiClean powder works the best (yep, as seen on TV!). What I do is take a plastic 4oz cup that I can throw away and put 1 scoop of OxiClean in it, add warm (not boiling) water and stir. While the concoction is fizzing (just stir to get it to fizz), put some on the spot, blot right away. Keep repeating until the spot is gone. If there is just a little spot, you can use a Q-tip to apply and work out the spot. DO NOT make a paste and let it sit. Use the wet and blot method.
	Sometimes a Bearista may pick up an odor, I just give it a little Febreeze spray and the odor is gone. Do not spray it on any of the costume that may be damaged. You can wrap the Bearista in a dishtowel lightly sprayed and that will freshen it up, too.

Bear Care